Rail-joint.



F. MGFADDEN.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. z2, 1010.

1,001,544, Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

UNTED STATE@ PATENT FFltCF.

FRANCIS MCFADDEN, OF BALTIMORE. MARYLAND, .ASSIGNOR OF ONE-'HALF TO WINFIELD F. COURTS, OF WILKES-BARRE. PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

atented Aug. 22, 191.1.

Application filed August 22, 1910. Serial. No. 578,298.

To all whom i'ft may concern:

lie it known that lt, FuANols lylvoFanouN. citizen ot" the United States. residing at laltimore. in the State oit Maryland, have 'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; and .l do hereby declare the Vfollowing to be a full. clear. and exactV descriition ot the invention. such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rail joints, and chairs, and particularly to means `tor securing the various parts together.

The object' in view is the arrangement ot a combined fish plate structure having connected therewith means 't'or engaging the abut-ting ends o't rails and the arrangement ot chairs or chair portions adapted to eugage means t'or 'forcing together and hohling together the chair portions when the same have been placed in position.

A further object ot the invention is the arrangement ot a device 'tor securing together the ends of rails formed with a tish plate portion and a chair portion, together with Studs or projections extending trom the fish plate portion -into the rails, and studs tit-ted into one part ot the chair portion :for engaging a cam shaped out out portion or notch in the other part ot the chair portion.

lVit-h these and other objects 'in View the invention comprises Certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangement ot parts as will loe hereinafter' more tully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure t is a perspective View ot' an embodinient ot the invention shown in position. certain parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a perspective view oit an embodiment o't the inyention7 the parts thereo't' being shown slightly separated, and certain parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a section through Fig. #L on line 3. Fig. ft is a section through Figs. l and 3 on line L -ft. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 ot Fig. 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, l and Q represent abutting rails which are provided with any suitable number of apertures `for accommodating pins 3. The pins 3 are supported by one of the fish plate portions of the device, and are connected therewith in any desired manner. as tor instance, by being Atorced therein, so as to be rigidly held in position. rl`hese pins project through the webs oll the railsl l and 2. and tal-:c the place ot the ordinary bolts. though itE desired they may be omitted and yet the rails held properly in position.

l`he device comprises principally parts -t and 5 which parts comprise lish plate portions land o as well as chair portions ti and T. The chair portion tl. when in position, overlapsI chair portion T, and is 'tormed with a plurality oll notches ti' merging into a slot or guide-way t? having an inclined tace tt) on one side thereo'l. inclined faces It) are designed to engage the respective studs or pins 1l which are rigidly secured to chair portion T. its will be clearly seen troni Fig. '2, part 5 is pushed laterallyr toward partv l when assembling the device until the studs ll have passed through notch tu. t'ter this hasl occurred part 5 is 't'orced longitluliinilly by any desired means, as tor instance a sledge-liannner, and studs '11 caused to move alongl the surt'aces ot the inclined 'faces it). This will cause the parts eland 5 to loc drawn together and to clamp the rails i and 2 t;herebetween. ln order to prevent any reverse movement a pin '12 may be used tor holding the parts t and 5 in position, though ordinarily the spikes will accomplish this result. It will be observed7 partitailarly in Fig. i, the notches 'tor the spikes in chair portion 7 are larger than the notches in chair portion (i. so that the spikes may be properly Yfastened in position, and part 5 permitted a slight adjustment. Ot. course, it desired the spike notches could be made the same size, so as to positively insure against any movement o't either ot the parts A/tor 5. indcpemlent ot the spikes. lj the arrangen'ient ot the pins t3 the rails 't and 2 are held together end tor end properly, and by thi arrangement ot the studs 'it the fish plate portions It and 5 are held properly in position. and consequently the pins 53 are prevented rom being removed.

lt will be observed that in placing the device in position. either the first'. time or in making' repairs. part 5 is placed in position first and pins 3 caused to pass into the apertln'es in the rails. The part ft then may be spiked in position it desired. -Part is then forced transversely or laterally toward part 4, so as to cause the studs tl to enter notches S, and to eventually engage the inclined surfaces 10.

By this structure it Will be readily seen that the device is quickly adapted for use in repairing as in providing a joint for new tracks. Also by the arrangement of the pins 3, or by the elimination of the same if desired, no fastening means are presented for being knocked ott by the pony et an engine or by any of the Wheels of any of the cars at any time.

that l claim is:

l. ln a device ot' the character described, a pair et members formed With [ish plate portions and chair portions, the chair portion en one of said members being formed with notches therein having one of the Walls thereof inclined, a plurality ot studs rigidly secured to the chair portion of the other of said members and arranged to engage the inclined surfaces of said notches for drawing and holding together said iish plate portions, and pins projecting from said iish plate portions for engaging rails for holding the same together end for end, said ish plates having notches therein to receive the spikes to secure said fish plates to the ties, an aperture through the flanges of each of the fish plates, and a pin adapted to be inserted through said aperture and lock the plates against longitudinal movement in the absence of a spike in said notches in said fish plates. y

2. ln a device of the character described,

a pair of members formed With chair portions and iish plate portions, a plurality of lugs secured to the chair portion oli' one of the members and extending vertically, and a plurality of lugs secured to the other of said members and extending horizontally, the member carrying the horizontal lugs being formed with notches having one Wall thereof inclined, said notches accommodating said vertically extending lugs for drawing and holding` together said members and said horizontal lugs passing through the ends or' the abutting rails for holding the same together end for end, said member carrying said horizontal lugs having registering apertures in the flange of the fish plate and chair, the other member having an aperture in the chair thereoil in registration with the apertures in the other member, and apin adapted to pass through said apertures and lock the members against longitudinal movement, each of said members being formed with spike notches register ing so that the spikes on each side of the device engage both of the membersA for hold ing the same against longitudinal movement in respect to each other as Well as for holding the same to the supporting ties.

ln testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of tivo Witnesses.

FRANCIS MCFADDEN. llitnesses E. L. FENWIGK, JOHN L. FLETCHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

